Little Things Make a Huge Difference

This March, we honor the achievements and contributions of women throughout history and present day. The concept began with International Women’s Day, first observed in 1911. In 1987, Congress passed a law designating March as Women’s History Month. The 2025 theme is “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations.”

 

March is also Employee Appreciation Month – a perfect time to reflect on the importance of recognition in our workplace and how we can all contribute to a culture of engagement.

Say ‘Thank you’: Showing appreciation doesn’t have to be costly or time-consuming. A heartfelt thank you, whether through an email, text, or handwritten note, can make a huge difference. The key is to understand what type of recognition resonates with each individual and act on it.

Try the casino chip method: I once worked with a manager who had 10 casino chips on his desk. Each morning, he placed them on the left side of his desk. Every time he recognized someone, he moved a chip to the right side. His goal was to get all of them to the right by the end of the day. Try it out: Having a visual reminder like this can help you stay intentional about recognizing others, even on your busiest days.

Use the RISE model for effective recognition:

🗓️Regular: Recognize often and regularly, not just during performance reviews.

🚨Immediate: acknowledge behavior or result promptly.

🔍Specific: Be specific about what behavior, effort, result you recognize. And describe the impact on others.

💙Encouraging: Personalize it and celebrate success.

*Source: Gallup Business Journal, “In Praise of Praising Your associates”

Share the impact of recognition:

Research by Gallup and Oxford University underscore significant benefits of a recognition and feedback culture:

• 14-23% higher profitability
• 81% better employee wellbeing
• 32% lower turnover
• Employees who receive regular recognition are 5 times more likely to feel valued and 6 times more likely to invest in their work.
• Happy employees are 13% more productive than unhappy workers.
• Manager recognition increases employee engagement by 60%.

Recognition nurtures trust, psychological safety, and motivation among employees, encouraging them to bring their best to work and deliver outstanding performance. For more details, click HERE

Challenge yourself:

Find ways to appreciate others, improve clarity of expectations, connect team members to you vision and purpose.

Check out these resources:

👉Watch the 5-min video: Framing Corrective Feedback in a Positive Way to get better results. I use the GROW (Goal – Reality – Options/Opportunities – Will) model to provide constructive feedback.

📖 Read ‘The One Minute Manger’ book by Ken Blanchard

📞Schedule a Discovery Call HERE if you are interested in learning more about creating a culture of feedback, engagement and belonging in your organization.

Making a difference in your life

😱 Are you feeling overwhelmed?

I’ve had many conversations with friends, family and my network lately. Many people live in uncertainty which leads to a lot of stress and catabolic emotions. I encourage you to take care of your body, mind, heart and soul. Here are a few tips to help you succeed:

• Sleep: In a study exploring sleep deprivation in professionals, 43% of participants who reported suffering from sleep loss said they completed tasks to a lower standard than normal.
• Manage distractions and interruptions: schedule time to focus on important tasks and communicate to others that you are ‘in the zone’.
• Meditate: Build and enhance neural pathways in the brain responsible for concentration and attention.
• Clarify your vision, goals and expectations Don’t lose track of what’s important and take the opportunity to write SMART goals.

Check out these resources:

📞Schedule a Discovery Call HERE if you are interested in learning more about navigating uncertainty, building resilience, building relationships, and enhancing leadership skills.

📖 Read ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ book by Stephen M.R. Covey and sharpen your saw.

🗓️ Join me for a free one-hour webinar The Surprising Key to Success: How Your Energy Controls Everything on Thursday, March 27^th. 

Add your tips and best practices in the comment box below.